THE funeral of "Ireland's most accomplished mountaineer" will take place in Belfast this Saturday.
Noel Hanna (56) from Dromora, Co Down, passed away last week in the Himalayas after a successful summit of Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world.
After making the 8,091m (26,545) climb on Monday, he died overnight at a camp while making his descent but the cause of death has not been confirmed.
His wife Lynne, who previously climbed Everest with him in 2016, arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday to bring him home.
Posting on Facebook, she said her husband had returned to Camp 4 on Annapurna to take some hot soup in his tent but "fell asleep never to awaken again."
She added: "No drama, no big story. It was his time to go and he died in the Himalayas, what better place? For my mountain man, sleep well Noel."
A family notice said the funeral service will now take place at 2pm on Saturday, April 29 at Roselawn Crematorium.
Family and friends only have been requested as numbers are restricted, but a gathering and celebration of his life will follow at Stormont Hotel at 3.30pm to which everyone is welcome.
During his climbing career, Mr Hanna had reached the top of Mount Everest 10 times and, in 2018, also became the first person from the island of Ireland to successfully summit and descend K2.
Among the many tributes to him this week, Mourne Mountain Rescue said they learned of his passing with "great shock and sadness".
"Noel was without doubt Ireland's most accomplished mountaineer, a tremendous ambassador for mountaineering, and a truly inspirational figure whose influence reached many corners of the globe while also keeping his roots well and truly embedded back here in the Mournes."
They added: "Noel was an absolute gentleman, totally unassuming and a friend to many of our team.
"Our thoughts are with Lynne, Noel’s wider family and friends at this time."
The reality TV star Spencer Matthews, who is married to Irish model and podcaster Vogue Williams, also shared his condolences with the family.
Mr Matthews' brother Michael was lost on Mount Everest in 1999 at the age of 22.
Commenting on Instragram, he said: "Although I never met Noel in person, the news of his passing on Annapurna hit home.
His story resonated with me deeply. Losing a loved one is never easy, but knowing that Noel's passion for climbing allowed him to live a life filled with adventure and purpose is a testament to the impact he made on those around him."
He added: "My heart goes out to his family, friends, and the climbing community who knew him personally. Rest in peace, Noel."
